Fantastic Four #8: Reed’s Stretchy Body 12

We’re back to the main title today, as the team have to respond to the threat of Phil The Puppet Master!

Phil The Puppet Master first makes himself known by possessing the body of a hapless bystander, causing him to climb to the top of a bridge and threaten to throw himself off. Alerted by the Fantastiflare (I’m sure that’s not it’s real name, but I like it), Reed tries to intervene by stretching from the Baxter Building to the bridge to save him, but the limit of his powers kick in and his unable to do anything.

What really makes this stand out is how Kirby and Ayers depict Reed pushing himself to the very limit of his abilities. The forced perspective in the first panel is superb, and the inking on the palm of the hand is thick, heavy, and almost inhuman. In two panels, they sell completely the struggle Reed faces.

Check out our coverage of Fantastic Four #8 – with special guest Joshua Lapin-Bertone – on our sixth episode: Like A Puppet On A String